Toxoplasmosis : Toxoplasmosis is an infection due to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
Types Of Toxoplasmosis
1. Acute toxoplasmosis
2. Latent toxoplasmosis
3. Cutaneous toxoplasmosis
Causes
Toxoplasmosis is found in humans worldwide, and in many species of animals and birds. Cats are the definitive host of the parasite.
Human infection may result from:
• Blood transfusions or solid organ transplants
• Carelessly handling cat litter, which can lead to accidental consumption of infectious particles
• Eating contaminated soil
• Eating raw or undercooked meat (lamb, pork, and beef)
Toxoplasmosis also affects people who have weakened immune systems.
The infection may also be passed from an infected mother to her baby through the placenta.
Symptoms
Symptoms usually occur about 1 to 2 weeks after you come in contact with the parasite. The disease can affect the brain, lung, heart, eyes, or liver.
Symptoms in persons with otherwise healthy immune systems:
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck
• Headache
• Fever
• Mild illness similar to mononucleosis
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
Symptoms in people with a weakened immune system:
• Confusion
• Fever
• Headache
• Blurred vision due to inflammation of the retina
• Seizures
Treatment
Acute
The medications prescribed for acute toxoplasmosis are:
• Pyrimethamine — an antimalarial medication
• Sulfadiazine — an antibiotic used in combination with pyrimethamine to treat toxoplasmosis
• Combination therapy is usually given with folic acid supplements to reduce incidence of thrombocytopaenia.
• Combination therapy is most useful in the setting of HIV.
• Clindamycin
• Spiramycin — an antibiotic used most often for pregnant women to prevent the infection of their children
Latent
In people with latent toxoplasmosis, the cysts are immune to these treatments, as the antibiotics do not reach the bradyzoites in sufficient concentration.
The medications prescribed for latent toxoplasmosis are:
• Atovaquone — an antibiotic that has been used to kill Toxoplasma cysts inside AIDS patients
• Clindamycin — an antibiotic that, in combination with atovaquone, seemed to optimally kill cysts in mice